The Ceremony

Each year, The UWI hosts ceremonies to celebrate the graduating classes of that academic year across its four campuses. The ceremonies take place in Semester 1 of the academic year (usually October/ November) annually.

The ceremony begins with the procession of graduands, the Academic Procession (of faculty, administration), and the Chancellor’s Procession. The University Chancellor presides and delivers the Opening Address. The UWI also awards honorary degrees annually to selected persons in recognition of their stellar contributions to Caribbean development. Most ceremonies have an Honorary Graduate who also delivers an Address. This is followed by the Award of First Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates, the Valedictory Address and the Award of Higher Degrees and Postgraduate Diplomas. Graduates are invited to join the UWI Alumni Association to recite the UWI Alumni Pledge before the official closure of the Ceremony.

Important Notes:

Conferring of Degrees: At the point in the Ceremony when the University Registrar caps the Chancellor and invites the appropriate respective Faculty Dean of the respective Faculty to present graduands for the award of First Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates, and Higher Degrees, you will be invited to line up for presentation to the Chancellor and to receive receipt of your scroll. Graduates are required to return to your seat after you have crossed the stage and received receiving your scroll and remain there until the ceremony ends.

Use of the Flash Cards: At the platform, graduands are asked to pay particular attention to personnel seated left (adjacent to the platform) whose purpose is to receive the flash cards for projection on the Elmo Digital Image Presenter viewable at the teleprompter’s screen so that your name will be called by the Dean.

Public Orator: Each campus of The UWI has its own Public Orator who prepares and delivers citations at University functions, including the graduation ceremonies, and awards ceremonies and convocations. At the Graduation Ceremony, the Public Orator is responsible for reading the citation for the Honorary Graduates.